Aerial toy.



Z. D. UNDERHILL.

AERIAL TOY APPLIOATION FILED JULY 29, 1909.

975,182. I Patented NQv.8,1910.

UNTE STTES ion.

AERIAL TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1910.

Application filed July 29, 1909. Serial No. 510,257.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Zon D. UNDERI-IILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bedford Station, county of Westchester, and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aerial Toys, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

The object of my invention is to produce a device adapted to be made ofmaterial heavier than air or even heavier than water and which willpossess, by reason of 1ts shape, or structure, sufficient inherentbuoyancy to sink slowly in the air or to float 1n the water.

One of the purposes of the invention is to produce a toy capable, by theuse of fans, of being maintained afloat in the air and of having itsgeneral direction of movement therein regulated or determined.

In the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of myinvention: Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the completeddevice; Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the two larger of the blanksfrom which the device is formed; Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views ofthe two larger blanks after folding; Figs. 6 and 7 are plan views of thetwo smaller of the blanks from which the device is formed.

In manufacturing the embodiment of my invention illustrated in thedrawings, I cut out of paper or other material, two blanks of thepentagonal shape shown in Fig. 3. One of these blanks is then slitted,as at e from the center of the pentagon to one of its angles and isfolded along the dotted lines to form five triangulanshaped planesections or wings a, a a a and (L The blank is then shaped as shown inFig. 4: by bringing the edge of section a adjoining section a overagainst the edge of section a adjoining section a and then securingsections a and a together along such edges. One way of enabling theseedges to be secured together is to fold the edge of section a formed byslit 6, so as to form a narrow flap f, which flap is pasted or otherwisesecured to section a along the latters edge. It will be understood,however, that other means of securing together the sections a and a maybe employed. It will be observed that the blank shown in Fig. 5 is ofthe shape of a four-sided pyramid with av triangular wing or sectionprojecting outwardly from one of the corners thereof. Another blank ofpentagonal shape is then cut, folded and pasted similarly to the blankof Fig. 3, forming another pyramid shaped figure composed of the fourwings or sections 6, 6 b and b with a triangular shaped wing section 6projecting outwardly from one of the corners thereof. The two blanks ofFigs. 4 and 5 are then placed with their points directly toward eachother and brought together until their points abut. This brings one ofthe edges of section 07" against the line of fold between sections 6 andb and brings one of the edges of section 6 against the line of foldbetween sections a and a The sections a and b are then respectivelysecured to the opposing blanks along such lines of contact and for thispurpose each section a and b may be folded near the edge thereof formedby slit 6, to form a narrow flap 9, as shown in Fig. 3. The twotriangular-shaped blanks or Wings 0 and d, shown respectively in Figs. 6and 7, are then applied and secured to the two larger blanks in thefollowing manner. Each blank 0 and cl is folded near two of its edges toform two narrow flaps h, h. Blank 0 is so applied to the larger blanksthat its two folded edges coincide with the lines of fold respectivelybetween sections a and a and sections 6 and b and it is secured to thelarger blanks along such lines of contact. Blank (Z is so applied to thelarger blanks that its two folded edges coincide with the line of foldrespectively between sections a and a and sections 5 and b and it issecured to the larger blanks along such lines of contact. Thus thecompleted. device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is formed. In these figures,however, for purposes of clearness, I have not indicated any flaps f, g,h, or any lines of fold by which the flaps are produced.

It is to be understood that the employment of pentagonal shaped blanksis not at all essential, the same being used merely for purposes ofconvenience. Twelve triangular blanks like that shown in Fig. 6 or Fig.7 may be used instead, as blanks comprising two or more integrallyconnected triangular blanks may be emplo ed.

The completed device comprises a regularly shaped twenty-four-facedfigure comfaces of each group forming the sides of a four-sided pyramid.

It will be noticed that each triangular wing or section of the twelvesections composing the original blanks forms a part of two adjacentpyramids and that all of the faces of all the sections are outside facesthat is, faces that will be in contact with any medium in which thedevice is immersed.

It will also be noticed that the twelve wings or sections are arrangedin six different intersecting planes-a and b in one plane, a and b in asecond plane, a and b in a third plane, a and 6* in a fourth plane,

a and b in a fifth plane, and 0 and (Z in a sixth planeand that each ofthe two edges of each section is joined to two edges of two adjacentsections and that the four sections thus connected to the two edges of adifferent section are all in dilferent planes, as, for example, sectioncl is connected to sections 6, 6 an and a all five sections being indifferent planes.

By reason of the fact that the device is perfectly symmetrical, that itpresents a series of open-ended pockets to the medium in which it isimmersed, and that both faces of all the planes of which the device iscomposed are in contact with such medium, the

device possesses a great degree of buoyancy when set afloat in the airand falls very slowly.

Inasmuch as the center of gravity is subjstantially at the common apexof all the pyramidal-shaped pockets, there is no tendency for the deviceto assume any particular position in the air; but on the contrary, byvirtue of its nice balance, it is affected by *"the weakest air currentsand is thereby caused to turn about its center in every direction moreor less constantly, which tends to still further impede its fall,besides causing it to float along with the air currents.

In View of the sensitiveness and resiliency of the device, it isespecially adapted for use as a toy, the object being, when so used, tocause the same to be agitated by a fan, applied under and at the side ofthe same, 5 in such manner as to direct and propel the device throughthe air toward a distantreceptacle. It is not intended, however, tolimit the application of the invention to any particular use, nor is theinvention limited to the precise form and shape shown, nor to the methoddescribed and shown of constructing the device from blanks. Nor is itintended to imply that the device is capable of use only in the air, asit is adapted to float in water even where it is-made of ma terialheavier than water by reason of the fact that in any position the devicemay as same, a certain amount of air will be imprisoned in that one ofthe pyramidal shaped pockets whose outer edges, at any given time, areimmersed in the water.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described, composed of a series of pockets,closed at their inner ends and open at their outer ends, and radiatingoutwardly from substantially a common point.

2. A device of the character described, composed of a series ofopen-ended pockets radiating outwardly from substantially a commonpoint, said pocketsv enlarging toward their outer open ends. f r

3. A device of the character described, composed of a series ofradiating pockets closed at their sides and open at their outer ends.

l. A device of the character described, composed of a series of wingsradiating outwardly from substantially a common point and associated toform pockets, each wing forming walls of two adjacent pockets.

5. A device of the character described, composed of a series of wingsradiating outwar dly from substantially a common point and joined alongtheir radiating edges to form a series of open ended pockets of simi-'lar size and shape.

6. A device of the character described, composed of twelvetriangular-shaped plane sections, radiating from a substantially commonpoint, whose twenty-four sides or faces are open to any medium in whichthe device is immersed. I

7 A device of the character described, composed of twelvetriangular-shaped plane sections, in which each section, alor'ig each oftwo of its edges, contacts with oneedge of each of two other sections,thereby forming six pockets of pyramidal shape.

8. A device of the character described, composed of six pyramidal shapedpockets each formed of four sections which also form respectively theadjacent walls of four adja= cent pockets.

9. A device of the character described, composed of six similarly shapedpockets opening outwardly from a substantially common apex, in which thewalls of each pocket are composedof' one side of each of four triangularsections, whose opposite sides form walls of four adjacent pockets.

10. A device of the character described,

composed of twelve triangular-shaped plane composed of two pentagonalshaped blanks each cut substantially along a line connecting its centerwith one outer angle and each folded substantially along linesconnecting its center with the remaining outer angles, each blank beingfolded to form a four-sided pyramidal-shaped-figure and a singletriangular shaped section projecting beyond the apex of said pyramid andsecured to the other pyramid substantially along the line of foldbetween two adjacent sections of the last named pyramid, and twotriangular shaped blanks connecting the said pyramids along oppositelydisposed lines of fold between other pairs of sections composing saidpyra- 15 mids.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, atPhiladelphia, on this 26th day of July, 1909.

ZOE D. UNDERHILL.

WVitnesses ELLA E. MEURER, CHARLOTTE MARSHALL.

